Derek WalterTechHive
Derek Walter is a freelance technology writer based in Northern California. He is the author of Learning MIT App Inventor, a hands-on guide to building your own Android apps.
How to use Google Home to stream video to your TV and music to your speakers
Google's smart oracle is as effective at streaming video and music as it is answering trivia questions.
iDevices smart home products now work with Google Home
The family of outlets, switches, sockets, and other products can be controlled by voice through the Google Assistant.
The C by GE Sol, an Alexa-powered table lamp, is now available for preorder
The futuristic-looking light promises to enhance your sleep, function as a clock, and connect to other GE smart bulbs in your home.
Why YouTube Music should be the future of Google's music ambitions
Google Play Music is a solid service, but it needs a major rethink for Google to gain traction against more popular streaming competitors.
eBay's new Google Home chatbot can tell you how much your stuff is worth
If you want to start cleaning out your junk drawer, ask Google Home for the value of what you want to sell.
The Vaux: A portable battery-powered speaker for the Echo Dot
Available for preorder now, it promises a more immersive audio experience and more freedom for your Alexa-powered device.
Everything you need to know about the Google Home app
This relative newcomer to Team Google has turned into an essential application for managing several core services.
How to find, view, and delete everything the Amazon Echo and Google Home know about you
Take charge of your privacy so there are no surprises about how much information your digital assistant is holding onto.
The top 14 products featuring Amazon Alexa integration demoed at CES
Amazon's Alexa was just about everywhere at CES, popping up in cars, home appliances, and even a dancing robot.
The coolest things you can do with Google Home
The Google Assistant can do everything from telling you about the day's weather forecast to streaming video and turning off the lights.
'Google Cast' is being phased out in favor of Chromecast for connected TVs and speakers
The change is a bit of an about face for Google, which is opting to bank on its successful Chromecast name for all supported hardware.
Google Play Movies is rolling out 4K rental and purchasing options
This will allow those with 4K televisions and a Chromecast Ultra to take full advantage of their capabilities, though the titles are going to cost you extra.
Twitter for Android TV brings streaming to the biggest screen in your house
The social network's foray into football and other programming is behind the push into your living room.
Google Play Music revamps its home screen and builds more diverse playlist recommendations
The mobile app will automatically store music offline based on recent listening history while tapping into your location and other factors for music suggestions.
The Google Assistant Developer Platform will be ready in December
The new platform will enable you to issue voice commands for a wide variety of smart home and mobile apps and services.
Articles by Derek Walter
Older stories